Soon and Never To Be's
by Tarafina
Summary: How do you really know it's forever? Clark Kent knows the answer and it turns Chloe in the right direction, which doesn't appear to be the altar. :Chloe/Oliver:


**Title**: Soon and Never To Be's  
**Rating**: K+  
**Genre**: Drama/Romance  
**Pairing**: Chloe/Oliver, mentioned Chloe/Jimmy  
**Prompt**: #015 - Pressure  
**Word Count**: 1,442  
**Summary**: "How do you really know it's forever?" Clark Kent knows the answer and it turns Chloe in the right direction, which doesn't appear to be the altar.

**_Soon and Never To Be's  
_**-1/1-

An anxiety stricken Chloe Sullivan (soon to be Olsen) stood staring wide-eyed into the mirror ahead of her, smoothing down the lace of her dress out of a nervous need to move than anything. She didn't even hear the door open, but she felt his presence at her back and as her eyes rose, they connected with the warm green eyes of her most treasured friend. Clark Kent stared back at her, mouth curved in that boyish smile of his. His large hand fell to her shoulder, squeezed reassuringly and waited for her to spill her guts.

She wasn't sure where to start; how to explain what she was feeling. And she was terrified that all he'd say when she did manage to explain was that it was cold feet.

"How..." She squeaked before clearing her throat and trying again. "How do you really know it's forever?" She licked her lips, brows knit. "That this is the person you can happily spend the _rest _of your life with?"

He stared at her a long moment, worried confusion crossing his forehead. With a hesitant smile he said, "Close your eyes..."

She let her eyes fall shut.

"And imagine the happiest day of your entire life..."

She swallowed tightly.

"Imagine everything you ever wanted..."

She nodded; the vision becoming clear in her mind now. Years ahead in the future; maybe a Pulitzer on the shelf, two or three beautiful blonde children that called her mom, and a strong sense of _right _settled on her shoulders as she kept up her work in ISIS and as Watchtower. And now she turned, she saw the man that shared her life, who fathered her kids, who stood by her side through reporting and crime fighting, who grinned at her reassuringly whenever she fell and helped her back up, who could soothe away the darkness and fear with a comforting kiss to her cheek or temple... Her husband; her lover; her friend; her _forever_.

Clark's voice permeated her senses once more. "And if Jimmy's face is the one you see there, sharing in it with you... Then walk down that aisle." He took her shoulders into his large hands and she lifted her head, eyes opening now to stare up at him. "But if you can't imagine sharing that incredible moment with him..." His look, so searching, honest. "Then don't do this... To your or him... Or..."

She nodded, her throat too tight for her to answer verbally. He knew. He had to know. He was Clark; and while he had his big dumb alien moments and had a long history of obliviousness, he'd seen it this time... Seen the way she looked at _him_. And _him _was not Jimmy, not who she saw in her vision of tomorrow and the future. The anxiety slipped away then, relief and acceptance filling her being. She lifted her shoulders, her chin, and smiled at her reflection.

"Clark? Could you...?"

"I know," he said, a smile of understanding curving his lips.

She stood there a moment longer before she slipped her engagement ring off her finger, placed it on the end table next to the mirror and rubbed her finger where it used to lay, where the imprint of how it bit into her skin still stared up at her. She stretched her fingers, felt the freedom of it all, and inhaled deeply. She knew she'd have to go out there and explain it to them all, to the guests, her family and friends, to Jimmy. But right now, her eyes filled with tears and the only reason they were sad was because she felt bad for being happy.

There was a soft knock and then the door had opened and _he_ was standing in front of her; the man she knew her future was meant to be with, the man she knew she'd never question walking down the aisle to. He stared at her with brown eyes she'd come to find more comfort in than she ever imagined.

"Take me away," was all she said.

And a genuine smile lifted his mouth before he had her hand in his and they were running out of the church and down the street, her lace gown dragging on the ground, never to be thought of or worn again after this. She felt bad for leaving Clark with the duty to explain away her sudden departure and she laughed loudly, with joy and freedom as she thought of Lois jumping excitedly from her chair, pumping a fist in the air and crying out, "Yes!" She never had approved and Chloe knew why. She couldn't wait to get out of this dress, to have _his _fingers ridding her of the lace she felt restricted by. In the near future, she'd find Jimmy and she's apologize, but she knew that he'd understand. Because when the haze of all this was stripped away, it was so obvious they weren't meant to be.

Chloe Sullivan (never to be Olsen) was struck with nothing but happiness as she climbed into the car _he _had driven to see her wed a man he had told her months ago didn't deserve her. The man who had held her in his arms tightly, stroked her hair from her face, told her that if she ever needed him he'd be there. Who had kissed her desperately, mouth slanting possessively over hers, after she told him she couldn't just walk away from Jimmy and what they had. Not even if _he _finally saw her, finally loved her. After all this time playing Watchtower and Sidekick and healing his wounds or spending sleepless nights going over every little scrap of evidence to find yet another 33.1 warehouse or take down another evil in the world... He was her kindred soul and she his and finally, _finally _she accepted that.

"Anywhere specific, Sidekick?" he asked from the driver's seat, lifting a brow at her as he turned the ignition.

She grinned, reaching over to take one of his hands. "The ends of Earth and back... Wherever we can reach... Let's search for justice and bring it back to share..." She laughed, overwhelmed with the feelings that thrummed inside of her. Freedom never felt so good; her future never looked so bright. She turned to him, a sigh escaping her lips. "Wherever you are."

He kissed the back of her hand. "We can do that."

He pulled away, turned out on the main road and headed toward his apartment. She had a set of clothes there that she could change into before they caught his jet out of Metropolis to wherever they desired; the world at their very fingertips.

"So what changed your mind?" he asked curiously.

She leaned back into the comfort of the passenger seat, playing with his fingers as she held his hand in her lap. "I saw the future and you were in it... No Jimmy Olsen in sight."

He glanced at her, nodding. "Good... On the bright side you stopped me from making a potentially embarrassing plea for you not to marry him in front of hundreds of guests."

She laughed lightly, her smile widening further. "You were going to do that?"

"Of course." He sighed. "I already knew my future and I know you were never meant to be Chloe Olsen."

"Really... And what was I _meant _to be?"

He pulled up in front of the tower housing his penthouse and smirked at her. "Chloe Queen, of course."

She smiled. "Of course."

He lifted his hand from her lap, cupped her cheek, stroking back and forth and drew her closer, slanting his lips across hers. She sighed contently, lost in Oliver Queen. _This _was right. This was the beginning to a future she knew would better fit her; one she knew she was always meant to live. She wrapped her hand around his neck, fingers threading in his hair. So maybe a few hearts were broken on the way, and the media might not look kindly on her leaving her fiancé at the altar and shacking up with their favorite playboy Oliver Queen, but in the end... she didn't care. She had accepted her fate and it was to live the life of a superhero and love the Green Arrow himself. Maybe it wasn't what she'd expected for herself when a younger her had looked to the future, but she had a better understanding of life and how it might turn out. She was, after all, a genius. But anybody could see, that she and Ollie... That was just an epic love story waiting to happen. And now it had.


End file.
